Big
Sales Keep The Market Hopping As Domain Business Heads Down the Home
Stretch for 2005

by Ron Jackson

Two months to go in 2005 and the
domain business continues to look good as we head down the home
stretch. Several of the names sold during a live auction at the
recently concluded T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
East conference in Florida completed escrow this
week, including a big $125,000 package that included Bachelor.com,
Bachelor.net and Bachelor.org. The buyer, Internet
REIT, still has Consulting.com in
escrow, a domain they also purchased at the T.R.A.F.F.I.C. auction
for $180,000. Moniker.com
conducted the auction and is handling escrow for the domains that
were sold.

Bachelor.com and its .net and .org siblings created a bit of a
quandary for us in terms of charting the sale. We normally only list
domains individually. If a sale involves more than one domain and
there is no line item breakdown of the prices paid for each (as was
the case with the Bachelor set) we usually divide the purchase price
by the number of domains and assign an equal value to each domain,
assuming they appear to be of roughly equal value. In this case with
the .com clearly far more valuable than the .net and .org
it would make no sense to do that, so we are making an exception
and listing the package, a road we will rarely go down.

One of the problems is whether it is fair for a package to chart
higher than an individual domain that might have topped the highest
valued domain in the package. For example this week, Sedo.com
had a very strong $85,000 sale of 123World.com which
ranks #2 behind the Bachelor.com set. We think it is
fair to assume that Bachelor.com represented at least $100,000 of
the value in its package, so there is probably no injustice in this
instance, but you can see why we do not want to muddy the waters by
including package deals on our charts unless the circumstances are
extraordinary (as they are here where it involves a six-figure
sale).

Matters are much more clear cut with the rest of our new Top
Ten. The Moniker.com/T.R.A.F.F.I.C. East partnership produced
four entries on the Big Board (with more to come next week as
additional transactions close). Another of their winners was #3 SoapOperas.com,
a very nice buy at $55,000. Sedo continued
to trade punches in the heavyweight division with #4 PriceDrive.com
going for $30,000. Afternic.com
completed the top half of the chart with #5 Stardust.com
sprinkling $25,555 on their ledger.

SnapNames.com joined Sedo and Moniker among the venues with
multiple sales on the leader board. SnapNames did it with back to
back entries featuring #7 MyPremiereCreditCard.com at $20,000
and#8 LasVegasCoupons.com at $13,600. Let's
take a look at the complete chart for the week ending October 30,
then we'll run down dozens of additional key sales for you and tell
you about a .info resurgence in our New TLD section.

Keep in mind that these are the highest value
sales that have been reported to us in the past week.
This column is meant to be an educational tool, not a
complete list documenting ALL high value domain sales.
Such a list is impossible to produce because many sales are
kept private at the insistence of buyers, sellers or
both.

This week's list was rounded out with the $25,000 sale
of #6 DigitalImaging.com at VarChar.com
and two more sales from the Moniker/T.R.A.F.F.I.C. auction that
anchored the board; #9 LMT.com at $11,000 and #10 CharterTrips.com
at $10,500. By the way, Moniker CEO Monte Cahn tells me
they are wrapping up a huge deal for Medicine.org at $80,000!
We'll have the details on that for you as soon as it is finalized.

SnapNames has another five-figure sale just off the
chart, Tippit.com at an even $10,000. As usual, the
SnapNames roster was studded with .com, .net and .org stars. GrowthChart.com
topped out at $8,688, NinePlanets.com settled into an $8,600
orbit and Trabajo.net ("work" in Spanish) clocked
out with $8,220. CNS.org brought $5,988 and Rob
Sequin paid $5,560 for VisitHavana.com, a domain he
will use to promote his HavanaJournal.com.

Also at SnapNames, CommodityMarkets.com commanded
$5,500, Texla.com landed $5,100 and PetDrug.com
drew $4,870. CellBattery.com drained $4,450, CanadaWeb.com
connected for $4,400 and DeepThroat.net uncovered
another $4,211.
Another 20 domains fell in the $2,000-$4,000 range. You can
check those out in this chart:

Additional SnapNames Sales
from $2,000-$4,000

MyGallery.com

$3,950

HiredGuns.com

$2,550

OpenYourEyes.com

$3,600

Hairpin.com

$2,538

Fertilidad.com

$3,433

Wanu.com

$2,257

LACars.com

$3,300

Pamelas.com

$2,255

CasinoCasino.com

$2,850

FreeComputerSoftware.com

$2,238

CentralCalifornia.com

$2,838

HudsonFurniture.com

$2,150

MyBackground.com

$2,750

OpenMarkets.com

$2,106

Custodia.com

$2,650

ProPoker.net

$2,051

Maxus.com

$2,600

PartySmart.com

$2,050

TShirtPrinter.com

$2,555

INCI.com

$2,012

Afternic enjoyed a very busy week as well. DirectEdge.com
carved out $8,000, 4DK.com delivered $5,500 and StrangeNews.com
reported $3,499. AlNahar.com added $2,900, SwiftRecovery.com
found a $2,500 cure and Suez.org gathered $2,400.
MDFinancial.com and Sites2Go.com went with $2,288 each
and Hydroponic.net grew to $2,095. Afternic also had a
quartet at $2,000 each; LosAngelesWedding.com, Italcar.com,
Go411.com and Congratulate.com. In more esoteric
extensions, Executive.pro secured $588 and Florist.cc
sent a $400 bouquet.

Sedo sold the highest .com.cn we've seen to date
with Yisou.com.cn climbing to $7,105. Their other
country code winners included WVM.de at €5,000 ($6,010)
and CarJet.de at €4,000 ($4,808). Curriculum-Vitae.com
booked €5,490 ($6,599) and GamesPlanet.com scored $4,999.
On the less traveled roads, National-Lottery.uk.com (a CentralNic
sub-domain) cashed a $300 ticket and Madrid.ws wound
up at $290.

At DotcomAgency.comEstrogenCream.com rubbed out $5,000, EquipHotel.com
welcomed $4,800 and PlanTrack.com plucked $4,000.
BestGraduates.com earned $3,595 and
CollectorsClassifieds.com called in $2,500.

Those four Moniker/T.R.A.F.F.I.C. auction domains in our
Top Ten weren't the only ones that closed this week. CreditHistoryCheck.com
found $6,500 and OfficeWork.com tallied $4,500.
At Enom's Club
Drop, Domaina.com sold for $3,400, DaddysGirls.com
attracted $2,400, Feeling.net fetched $1,700 and CorrectGrammar.com
coaxed $1,600. At Pool.com,
JuiceClub.com squeezed out $2,250, Literotcia.com
(typo) tacked on $2,050 and Occupation.net worked up $1,850.

****

Our Year To Date Top 60 club gets three new
members this week. Bachelor.com (and his .net and .org
roommates) gets a new pad in the upper third of the chart, with 123World.com
and SoapOperas.com also taking up residence.
Here is a look at the 2005 YTD leader board through
Oct. 30:

Domain Name Journal's Year-To-Date Top SalesHighest Reported 2005 Domain Sales through Sun. Oct. 30 Euro to Dollar Conversion (€ to
$) Based on Rates in Effect When Sales Were
Originally Reported by DNJ(Domains entering the
chart this week are highlighted in green)

Domain

Sold
For

Where Sold

Date*

1.
tie

Website.com

$750,000

Sedo

7/26/05

1.
tie

Property.com

$750,000

Pvt Sale

8/9/05

3.

Local.com

$700,000

Pvt
Sale

3/8/05

4.

VIP.com

$600,000 (+ 400K in stock now & 400K in
additional stock in 1 year)

Pvt Sale

9/27/05

5.

Chat.de

€360,000
= $470,848

Sedo

1/18/05

6.

WhatIsMyIP.com

$386,100

Ebay

7/26/05**

7.

ShoppingCart.com

$285,000

Moniker / DomainSystems

8/9/05

8.

Uruguay.com

$175,000

Sedo

7/12/05

9.
tie

King.com

$155,000

Sedo

10/11/05

9.
tie

Porker.com

$155,000

Sedo

5/31/05

11.
tie

News.net

$150,000

Sedo

9/13/05

11.
tie

Vuelos.com("flights" in Spanish")

$150,000

Pvt Sale

8/16/05

11.tie

Paraguay.com

$150,000

Pvt
Sale

6/21/05

11.tie

CheapGas.com

$150,000

Pvt
Sale

6/21/05

11.tie

GED.com

$150,000

Sedo

1/18/05

11.tie

GospelMusic.com

$150,000

GreatDomains

3/22/05

17.

Photographer.com

$133,000

Pvt Sale

8/23/05

18.

Bachelor.com*(sale included Bachelor.net and Bachelor.org)

$125,000*

Moniker / T.R.A.F.F.I.C. East

11/1/05

19.

Dominio.com("domain" in Spanish)

$120,000

Pvt Sale

9/6/05

20.

Voyuer.com

$112,100

SnapNames

2/1/05

21.

PartnerCash.com

$110,000

Sedo

7/19/05

22.

Innovations.com

$108,000

Pool

5/24/05

23.
tie

Lofts.com

$100,000

Pvt Sale

9/20/05

23.
tie

EQ.com

$100,000

Afternic

9/6/05

23.
tie

Mueller.com

$100,000

Sedo

9/6/05

23.
tie

Lunch.com

$100,000

Pvt
Sale

7/26/05

27.

OLT.com

$93,000

Sedo

5/3/05

28.

123World.com

$85,000

Sedo

11/1/05

29.

NetPoker.com

$80,000

Pvt
Sale

6/7/05

30.
tie

Hanover.com

$75,000

Sedo

9/6/05

30.tie

GLU.com

$75,000

Sedo

5/31/05

30.tie

PetSupplies.com

$75,000

Afternic

4/5/05

33.

Car.de

€58,000 = $72,296

Sedo

9/6/05

34.

Empleo.com("jobs" in Spanish)

$70,000

Pvt
Sale

6/21/05

35.tie

Downlaod.com

$68,000

Pvt
Sale

3/1/05

35.tie

Donwload.com

$68,000

Pvt
Sale

3/1/05

35.tie

Dawnload.com

$68,000

Pvt
Sale

3/1/05

38.

Lottery.org

$66,667

Sedo

3/22/05

39.

VideosGratis.com

$66,204

NameDrive

10/18/05

40.

Annonces.com("Classifieds in French)

€55,000 = $65,554

Sedo

10/4/05

41.

Travel.tv

$65,000

GreatDomains

9/6/05

42.

Fights.com

$62,000

Pvt
Sale

7/12/05

43.

Medikamente.de("drugs" in German)

€50,000 = $61,747

Sedo

8/16/05

44.

FreeCellPhone.com

€50,000 =
$61,419

Sedo

6/7/05

45.

PhoneFree.com

$61,361

SnapNames

9/13/05

46.

GolfResorts.com

$60,800

Moniker
/DomainSystems

6/14/05

47.

YO.com

$60,000

Pvt Sale

10/4/05

48.
tie

eBaby.com

$60,000

Sedo

9/27/05

48.
tie

Line.com

$60,000

KuwaitNET

9/6/05

50.

Trees.com

$58,000

GreatDomains

1/4/05

51.

CashFlow.com

$56,500

Sedo

4/19/05

52.
tie

SoapOperas.com

$55,000

Moniker / T.R.A.F.F.I.C. East

11/1/05

52.tie

Quilting.com

$55,000

Pvt
Sale

5/31/05

52.tie

HotDate.com

$55,000

Sedo

4/19/05

52.tie

Free-Games.to

$55,000

Sedo

3/1/05

56.

VegasRealEstate.com

$53,611

SnapNames

8/16/05

57.

SuccessForce.com

$51,100

Moniker/DomainSystems

9/6/05

58.

CervicalCancer.com

$50,750

Moniker/DomainSystems

2/1/05

59.

ByOwnerMLS.com

$50,620

Moniker/DomainSystems

10/18/05

60.
tie

BattleRap.com

$50,000

Moniker/DomainSystems

9/6/05

60.
tie

DrumSets.com

$50,000

Sedo

6/21/05

60.tie

Designs.com

$50,000

Pvt
Sale

4/26/05

60.tie

MusicShop.com

$50,000

GreatDomains

2/22/05

60.tie

Neighbors.com

$50,000

Sedo

2/15/05

60.tie

Therapy.com

$50,000

Sedo

2/15/05

*Date column (month/day/year) shows date the
sale was published in DNJournal.
**In our
3/8/05 report, we noted an Ebay auction of WhatIsMyIP.com had
ended at $386,100, however we could not verify that the sale
was legitimate until our 7/26/05 report.

After turning the heat up on the .US name space
for the past few weeks, the Ohio food
company that has been pouring money into the American ccTLD went
underground, opening the door for .info to regain control of
our new extension chart. The food company is still out there making
new purchases but has decided to keep their deals as quiet as possible
in an effort to relieve some of the upward pressure on prices. Their
own buying binge is making it more expensive for them to acquire the
missing pieces for their food industry model.

.Info took advantage of the opening to sweep six of
the eight positions on our New TLD chart, including the top
spot with Dad.info, a domain that went for $5,556 at
Sedo. Afternic, a venue that placed three domains on our new list,
nailed down the runner-up slot with Suez.info at $3,500
(note that was a considerably higher price than the $2,400Suez.org
went for this week).

.Biz and .US also had four-figure sales. #3 FreshFlowers.biz
went for $1,300 at Afternic and Removals.us sold for €895
($1,076) at Sedo. .Info ran the board on the second half of the
chart with #5 NutritionGuide.info leading that run after going
for $995 at TheNameStore.com.
Afternic's third chart entry, #7 NewsGroup.info, was also in
that pack after selling for $750. Here is a look at the complete New TLD leader board for the week ending
Oct. 30:

This week's chart was rounded out with a pair of
3-letter .infos. ADC.info brought $820 in an auction at GoDaddy's
Domain Name Aftermarket and I sold UCF.info for $695 in
a private transaction. In another sale just off the chart, OnlineFlowers.biz
brought $500 at Afternic.

Our New TLD Year-To-DateTop 50 chart gets two new members this week and the entry level
rises to just under $3,000. Dad.info takes the sweet 16
position and Suez.info settles into a tie for #37. Here are
2005's highest reported new extension sales through Oct. 30:

Domain Name Journal's Year-To-Date Top 50 New TLD SalesHighest Reported 2005 .info, .biz &
.us Domain Sales through Oct. 30 Euro
to Dollar Conversion (€ to $) Based on Rates in
Effect When Sales Were Originally Reported by
DNJ(Domains entering the chart this week are
highlighted in green)

Domain

Sold
For

Where Sold

Date*

1.

VOIP.us

$25,000

AllNetServices

5/24/05

2.

Best.info

£12,000 =
$20,880

Sedo

7/19/05

3.

Foods.us

$20,000

Sedo

10/4/05

4.

Industry.us

$17,000

Pvt Sale

3/15/05

5.

Musical.info

€10,440 =
$13,936

Sedo

3/8/05

6.

CellPhones.us

$12,250

Moniker/DomainsSystems

1/4/05

7.

GourmetFoods.us

$10,750

Sedo

10/11/05

8.
tie

OrganicFoods.us

$10,000

Sedo

10/11/05

8.
tie

WholeFoods.us

$10,000

Sedo

10/18/05

10.

Auto.biz

€6,000 = $7,966

Sedo

1/4/05

11.

Maschinenbau.info("building
engines" in German)

€5,950 =
$7,772

Sedo

4/19/05

12.

Connect.us

$7,500

Sedo

4/5/05

13.

BES.biz

€5,500 =
$7,139

Sedo

4/26/05

14.

Wetten.info("bet" in German)

€5,750
= $6,895

Pvt Sale

10/11/05

15.

TravelNet.info

€5,000
= $6,231

Sedo

9/6/05

16.

Dad.info

$5,556

Sedo

11/1/05

17.

Safe.biz

€4,000 =
$5,189

Sedo

1/25/04

18.
tie

Manhattan.biz

$5,000

Afternic

8/9/05

18.tie

AMA.us

$5,000

Afternic

4/26/05

18.tie

Broker.info

$5,000

Sedo

5/31/05

21.

WhitePages.biz

$4,995

Afternic

7/5/05

22.

Golfreisen.info("golf travel" in German)

€4,000
= $4,906

Sedo

9/13/05

23.

Marketing.biz

€3,900 =
$4,748

Sedo

6/21/05

24.

Adventure.info

£2,500 =
$4,708

Sedo

5/10/05

25.

Pauschalreisen.info("package tours"
in German)

€3,500 =
$4,507

Sedo

5/10/05

26.
tie

GourmetFood.us

$4,500

Pvt Sale

10/25/05

26.
tie

OrganicFood.us

$4,500

Pvt Sale

10/25/05

26.
tie

MyHouse.biz

$4,500

Pvt Sale

6/28/05

29.

Physician.info

$4,150

Pvt Sale

1/18/05

30.

Honolulu.us

$4,000

Pvt Sale

7/19/05

31.

Degrees.info

$3,800

Pvt
Sale

8/16/05

32.

ChurchOfChrist.info

$3,750

Pvt
Sale

10/4/05

33.

Piercing.us

€3,000
= $3,680

Sedo

9/13/05

34.

Pauschalreise.info("package tour"
in German)

€2,800 =
$3,606

Sedo

5/10/05

35.

GEP.info

€3,000 =
$3,576

Sedo

7/5/05

36.

Attest.info

€2,700 =
$3,559

Sedo

3/1/05

37.
tie

Suez.info

$3,500

Afternic

11/1/05

37.
tie

Forum.us

$3,500

GreatDomains

3/8/05

37.
tie

New-York.info

$3,500

Sedo

5/10/05

40.

Science.info

$3,272

Ebay

5/3/05

41.

Geschichte.info("stories" in
German)

€2,500 =
$3,266

Sedo

4/19/05

42.

Nostrum.info

€2,500 =
$3,261

Sedo

2/1/05

43.

Musicals.us

€2,550 =
$3,255

Sedo

2/8/05

44.

Tunis.info

$3,250

Sedo

6/21/05

45.

Cryptography.info

$3,100

SnapNames

9/27/05

46.

Altabadia.info(Italian
resort area)

€2,300 =
$3,069

Sedo

3/8/05

47.

NaturalFoods.us

€2,500
= $3,002

Pvt
Sale

10/18/05

48.

Lyrics.info

$3,000

Sedo

2/22/05

49.

Ultraschall.info("ultrasound" in
German)

€2,250 =
$2,996

Sedo

3/15/05

50.

Dividends.us

€2,277 =
$2,943

Sedo

3/29/05

*Date column shows the date (month/day/year) the
sale was published in DNJournal.

As always, we welcome all verifiable sales reports from companies,
private sellers or individuals with knowledge of an important sale
made through any channel. To contribute information and help make
this column better, just drop a note to editor@dnjournal.com.

We truly appreciate the industry leading
companies represented on our charts who share their sales information
with us to help everyone in the business get a handle on current
domain values. Individuals like Richard
Meyer of the American Marketing Corporation also provide invaluable help by sending us data for these sales
reports each week.

Every Tuesday we publish the highest reported domain name
sales for the previous week. On Monday our contributors send us
their sales data for the previous 7 days. We then compile that
information and write this report for Tuesday publication to give
you the freshest sales report in the industry.

We will close with this standard caution. These are not average selling
prices - these are top selling domains. One of the
biggest impediments to making sales is pricing domains at
unrealistic levels. For most of us, pricing domains at the levels
achieved on the Top Ten chart will leave us waiting a long time to make a sale! We hope you will
use the information presented here as a measuring stick that will
help you price your domains at levels that will put more money in
your pocket more often!

Editor's Note: If you wish to review previous Domain
Sales columns, they are available in our Archive.

Copyright 2005 · DNJournal.com
A Division of Internet Edge, Inc.(copying of any material from this site without
written consent is strictly prohibited)